Tuesday, 31 January 2012

Saturday, I opened a loaf of sliced white bread and was disgusted, disgusted I tell you to discover a huge gaping hole right through the middle of the entire loaf. I had in actual fact unwittingly purchased a bag of bread crusts.

So, incandescent with rage at having to forgo my sardines on toast, I angrily tweeted Kingsmill demanding to know excatly what they were going to do about it.

Yesterday morning I received a reply from Kingmill asking me to e-mail them further details and they will start an investigation with immediate effect.

However, upon retrieving the loaf in question from the freezer for photographic evidence, turns out it's a Hovis loaf.

Friday, 27 January 2012

I know there's only 6 weeks to go until we finally meet you and things are getting a wee bit cramped in there, but please, for the love of all that is holy, stop trying to stretch it further. Oh, and that cushion you keep bouncing your head off? That's my bladder, I use it to pee.

Your beleaguered mother x

Dear Stranger in the school playground,

Don't stand next to me and talk to your friend about babies who don't sleep at night then turn, smile at me and say, 'you've got this all to come.' I've had two children before, this is evident by the fact I was at the school to pick one of them up. Also, I am well aware of the fact some children don't sleep, this little gem didn't pass me by unnoticed as my youngest didn't sleep through the night until she started full time education. Contrary to my appearance I have not had a frontal lobotomy and thus simply forgotten that babies may and do wake in the night.

And while we at it, please don't causally mention how tired I look already, I may just kick you in the chuff.

Thursday, 26 January 2012

Today I became the mother of a 14 year old. How the Hell did that happen? Well, I know how *it* happened, but how did it happen?

Some of you know that my eldest daughter, Ana, is on the autistic spectrum and to say getting to this point has not been an easy ride is an understatement. It always amazes me that we've managed to make it this far relatively unscathed.

Because.

Because, it doesn't matter how much you love them, how much you'd lay your life down for them or how much of a great parent you are, there will come times when parenting a special needs child where you just feel like throwing in the towel. Selfishly stamping your feet and crying, 'This isn't what I signed up for! I don't want to play anymore!'Thankfully for us those days are few and far between, but they do happen. I am just so grateful that we have been able with wonderful support from friends, family and professionals to get through each and every one of those moments. Sadly some families have not been so lucky.

So Happy 14th Birthday Ana, it's been great and at times it has been 'interesting', but we made it together!

Friday, 20 January 2012

It's been a long while since I have done anything with this blog, but when you've spent the last 33 weeks of your pregnancy getting to know your toilet bowl intimately, blogging tends to slip your mind.

However, new year and all that, I have decided to try and pick up where I left off and what better way to start then with some reasons to be cheerful.

January is not a month that most people associate with being cheerful. Christmas is over, the whether is dismal and many of us are trying to scrape by until the next pay day. But you really don't have to look very far to find some blessings to count.

1. We have a warm, dry, safe and happy home to live in. We all have warm dry beds to sleep in an enough food that we don't go to bed hungry. We were able to exchange gifts at Christmas and eat far too many treats. There are so many other families out there that just aren't afforded these luxuries that many of us consider the basics. With the recent news of many people facing unemployment and redundancy, something our family have been through in the past, due to companies entering Administration, I consider myself and my family very lucky that we have what we do and I shall never take it for granted.

2. On Thursday I will become the mother of a 14 year old. Ana my eldest daughter has autism and the progress she has made in the last 14 years has been nothing short of amazing. I am so proud of her as her life is anything but easy. I just hope that one day she won't have to fight anymore to be accepted for who and what she is.

3. Only 7 weeks left to go until we meet our new daughter, Jessica Eris. After suffering a miscarriage on 15th March last year, I am very grateful that we have been given a second chance to add to our family. even though I don't think I shall settle or believe it's all real until she is here, safe and in my arms.